Translation device, translation method, and storage medium

ABSTRACT

A translation device has a dictionary that stores a set of words and their corresponding meanings in plural languages; an input unit that inputs a document; a recognizing unit that recognizes text in the inputted document; an analyzing unit that devides the text recognized by the recognizing unit into words; a translating unit that translates each of the words obtained by the analyzing unit into a translated term by using the dictionary; and an output unit that outputs an output image containing the translated term for a key word.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method, a device, and a storagemedium for translation of a document from one language to anotherlanguage.

2. Description of the Related Art

Machine translation of documents from one language to another has longbeen a subject of study.

Since a machine translation of a whole document takes a considerableamount of time, a user must wait until the whole document has beenmachine-translated and the translation sheet ejected.

In some instances, a user does not need to obtain a complete and exacttranslation of a document. For example, s/he may need only a partialtranslation of a document; or to obtain a complete and exact translationof only a specific portion of a document in order to obtain an overallview of the document.

In the latter case, if a complete and exact translation of a document isnonetheless performed a user's time will be wasted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has therefore been made in view of the aboveproblems inherent in the related art, and provides a translation deviceincluding: a dictionary that stores a set of words and theircorresponding meanings in plural languages; an input unit that inputs adocument; a recognizing unit that recognizes text in the inputteddocument; an analyzing unit that divides the text recognized by therecognizing unit into words; a translating unit that translates each ofthe words obtained by the analyzing unit into a translated term by usingthe dictionary; and an output unit that outputs an output imagecontaining the translated term for a key word.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail basedon the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a hardware configuration of translation device 1;

FIG. 2 illustrates a functional block diagram of translation device 1;

FIGS. 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), and 3(d) illustrate examples of a document to betranslated, an output image including translations of key words, anoutput image with mark-up, and an output image of the translation; and

FIG. 4 illustrates an operational flow of translation device 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A. Configuration

Translation device 1 is adapted to translating a document into a targetlanguage, and is adapted to generating a copy of the translateddocument.

FIG. 1 illustrates a hardware configuration of translation device 1.Translation device 1 has a control unit 4. Control unit 4 includes a CPU(Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (RandomAccess Memory), which are not shown in FIG. 1. CPU executes OS(Operating System) programs stored in ROM to control components oftranslation device 1.

Storage unit 5 is non-volatile, and is configured as a hard disk driveunit or the like. Storage unit 5 stores computer programs for executingoperations, such as inputting, translating, and outputting a document.Storage unit 5 stores a known OCR (Optical Character Recognition)program for executing character recognition. Storage unit 5 also storesdictionary 51.

Dictionary 51 stores a set of words and their corresponding meanings inplural languages. Dictionary 51 also stores for each word a flagindicating whether a word is a key word or an ancillary word on thebasis of which CPU can determine whether a word that must be translatedis a key word or an ancillary word. It is noted that a word which is anoun, a verb, or an adjective and that may constitute a paragraph initself will hereinafter be referred to as a key word; whereas a wordwhich is a particle or an auxiliary verb will hereinafter be referred toas an ancillary word.

Instruction input unit 41 has a keyboard 40 with a ten keypad and astart button, and has a display unit 39 including an LCD panel with atouch panel function. A user may input instructions into translationdevice 1 via instruction input unit 41. In case of malfunctions oftranslation device 1, the status of translation device 1 may bedisplayed at display unit 39.

Sheets 10 adapted for having images formed thereon are stacked on paperfeed tray 9. When an instruction to form images on a sheet 10 is inputvia instruction input unit 41, paper feed roller 33 starts rotating, andfeeds sheets 10 one-by-one from paper feed tray 9. Sheets 10 areconveyed along conveyance path 36 by means of paired rollers 34, 35, and37.

Image input unit 12 reads a document optically, and generates imagedata.

Image input unit 12 may be configured as a scanning unit. Morespecifically, light is radiated from light source 13 onto a document puton platen glass 2. Light from the document is reflected via mirrors 14,15, and 16 and received by light reception unit 17. Image processingunit 18 converts the reflected light received by light reception unit 17to electric signals, so as to generate image data consisting of colorsof Yellow (Y), Magenta (M), Cyan (C), and Black (K).

Image forming unit 6 has image forming mechanisms 7Y, 7M, 7C, and 7K,and a transferring belt 8.

Image forming mechanisms 7Y, 7M, 7C, and 7K form toner images of asingle color of Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, and Black, respectively. Sincethese image forming mechanisms have identical configurations, onlyexplanatory details of image forming mechanism 7Y will be described.

Image forming mechanism 7Y includes a photoconductive drum 20Y (imagesupport member), on which an electro-static latent image is formed, andby which toner image is supported. Image forming mechanism 7Y alsoincludes an electro-static charging unit 21Y, an exposure unit 19Y, adevelopment unit 22Y, and a cleaning unit 24Y around photoconductivedrum 20Y.

Electro-static charging unit 21Y uniformly charges the whole surface ofphotoconductive drum 20Y to a certain electric potential of uniformpolarity, while photoconductive drum 20Y is rotating in a direction ofarrow A.

Exposure unit 19Y radiates a beam of light on the surface ofphotoconductive drum 20Y in accordance with image data.

Exposure unit 19Y may be configured as a Raster Output Scanner. Morespecifically, exposure unit 19Y scans a laser beam emitted from asemiconductor laser unit (not shown) in accordance with image data, soas to form an electro-static latent image on the surface ofphotoconductive drum 20Y After the laser beam is radiated on an area ofthe surface of photoconductive drum 20Y, the electric potential of thearea gets reduced in accordance with the intensity of the laser beam dueto photoconductivity of photoconductive drum 20Y. Thus, an electrostaticlatent image corresponding to the image data is formed on the surface ofphotoconductive drum 20Y.

Development unit 22Y develops the electrostatic latent image formed onthe surface of photoconductive drum 20Y. More specifically, a toner(electrostatically charged color pigmental material) is charged with thesame polarity as the surface of photoconductive drum 20Y. Then, thetoner is fed from toner tank 23Y to the surface of photoconductive drum20Y, so as to generate a toner image on the surface of photoconductivedrum 20Y. Thus a toner image, which is a negative image of theelectrostatic latent image, is formed on the surface of photoconductivedrum 20Y.

Transferring belt 8 is hung on rollers 26, 27, 28, and 29, and is drivenrotatingly in the direction of arrow B. Transferring belt 8 runs belowphotoconductive drum 20Y. When photoconductive drum 20Y is pressedagainst transferring belt 8, the toner image formed on thephotoconductive drum 20Y is transferred to transferring belt 8.

Cleaning unit 24Y removes residual toner from photoconductive drum 20Y.

Similarly, in image forming mechanisms 7M, 7C, and 7K, a toner image ofeach color is formed on photoconductive drum 20M, 20C, and 20K,respectively. The toner image of each color is overlappingly andsuccessively transferred to transferring belt 8.

In the descriptions below, where it is not necessary to distinguishbetween image forming mechanisms 7Y, 7M, 7C, and 7K, they arecollectively referred to as image forming mechanism 7. Similarly, whereit is not necessary to distinguish between colors for other components,the notations Y, M, C, K will also be omitted.

After sheet 10 is fed from paper feed tray 9 on conveyance path 36,sheet 10 enters the nip portion formed between transferring belt 8 andtransfer roller 30, and is pressed against transferring belt 8. Thepressing force and electrostatic suction force exerted by sheet 10enable the toner image to be transferred onto the surface of sheet 10.

Then sheet 10 is guided into fusing unit 11 by paired roller 31, fusingunit 11 presses and heats sheet 10 so that the toner is fused to thesurface of sheet 10. Thus, an image is formed on sheet 10, and sheet 10is ejected to catch tray 32.

B. Functions

FIG. 2 illustrates a functional block diagram of translation device 1.CPU executes programs stored in storage unit 5 to perform translationfunctions.

Input unit 101 inputs a document by using image input unit 12, andgenerates image data of the document.

Character recognition unit 102 recognizes text in the document from theimage data generated by input unit 101.

Morphological analysis unit 103 obtains words from the text by dividingthe text, once it is recognized by character recognition unit 102, intomorphemes (such as words).

Translated term selection unit 104 selects from dictionary 51 atranslated term for each of the words obtained by morphological analysisunit 103.

Translated term output unit 105 generates an output image containing thetranslated terms selected by translated term selection unit 104 fortranslating key words. More specifically, translated term output unit105 causes image forming unit 6 to form the output image on the surfaceof a sheet and to eject the sheet to catch tray 32.

The output image generated by translated term output unit 105 may belaid out freely. For example, the output image is laid out to includethe original layout of a sheet image of a document to be translated (seeFIG. 3(a)) and images of the translated terms of key words are insertedbelow the corresponding key words between lines of the text in theoriginal document, as illustrated in FIG. 3(b). The document ID of thedocument may be printed at the upper right end of the margin of a sheet.

Translation section determining unit 106 determines a section(s) of thetext in a document which are to be translated, from the image data ofthe document.

Translation unit 107 translates the section(s) in the documentdetermined for translation by translation section determining unit 106into a target language. More specifically, translation unit 107 uses,for example, known syntax and semantic analysis methods to analyze thesyntax of a document, generate a syntax tree, and convert the generatedsyntax tree into a target language. Translation unit 107 selects atranslation of each morpheme to generate a translation of the document.

Translation output unit 108 outputs an output image containing thetranslation of the document generated by translation unit 107. Morespecifically, translation output unit 108 causes image forming unit 6 toform the output image on the surface of a sheet, and to eject the sheetinto catch tray 32.

ID assigning unit 201 assigns a unique ID (hereinafter referred to asdocument ID) to a document. A document ID may be given in any form toidentify a document uniquely. For example, a document ID may consist ofalphanumeric characters.

Translated term storage unit 202 stores a set of document IDs assignedto a document, words obtained from the document, and translated terms ofthe words in storage unit 5.

ID recognition unit 203 recognizes a document ID assigned to a documentfrom the image data of the document.

Translated term reading unit 204 reads a set of words contained in thedocument having the document ID and a corresponding translation of theterms from storage unit 5.

C. Operations

FIG. 4 illustrates an operational flow of translation device 1. In FIG.4, it is assumed that translation device 1 has already been turned onand CPU is running computer programs.

A user places a paper document (hereinafter referred to as document)facedown on platen glass 2. When a start button is pressed atinstruction input unit 41, CPU generates image data of the document byusing input unit 101 (in step A01), and stores the image data in storageunit 5. FIG. 3(a) illustrates an example of the document to betranslated.

CPU also assigns a unique ID to the document by using ID assigning unit201. In the present embodiment, a unique ID ‘x49f’ is assigned.

In step A02, CPU recognizes sections of text contained in the documentby using character recognition unit 102.

In step A03, CPU obtains words from the sections of text recognized instep A02 by dividing the text into morphemes by using morphologicalanalysis unit 103.

In step A04, CPU selects a translated term for each of the wordsobtained in step A03 from dictionary 51 by using translated termselection unit 104.

CPU stores a set of unique IDs of the document, words included in thetext obtained from the document, and the translated terms of the wordsin storage unit 5.

In step A05, CPU prints out a sheet of an output image containing thetranslated terms of key words by using translated term output unit 105.FIG. 3(b) illustrates an example of the output image. As illustrated inFIG. 3(b), a document ID ‘x49f’ is printed at the upper right end of themargin of a sheet.

The user determines translation section(s) of text in a document whichare to be translated, by referring to the printout sheet of the outputimage containing the translated terms. The user marks up the section(s)of the text determined for translation on the printout sheet with ahighlight pen or the like. In the present example, the user determinesthat the section, “A whale belongs to Mammalia.” must be translated, andmarks the section with a highlight pen (the section is enclosed in anopen rectangle in FIG. 3(c)). Alternatively, the translated term(s) maybe marked up to define the section(s).

The user places the printout sheet facedown on platen glass 2. When aninstruction for translating the document is input into instruction inputunit 41, CPU generates image data of the marked-up sheet by using imageinput unit 12.

In step A06, CPU determines if there is/are a section(s) marked with aspecific color (hereinafter referred to as marked section) in the imagedata of the printout sheet by using translation section determining unit106.

If there is no marked section (in step A06:No), CPU branches itsoperation to step A09; and generates a complete translation of thedocument from the image data, otherwise, CPU advances its operation tostep A07.

In step A07, CPU recognizes a document ID assigned to a document fromthe image data of the document by using ID recognition unit 203. CPUreads a set of words corresponding to the document ID and the translatedterms of the words from storage unit 5. CPU translates the section usingthe translated terms by using translation unit 107.

In step A08, CPU determines if all section(s) have been translated. Ifall section(s) have been translated (in step A08:YES), CPU advances itsoperation to step A10, otherwise CPU returns its operation to step A07.

In step A10, CPU outputs the output image of the translation by usingtranslation output unit 108. FIG. 3(d) illustrates the outputtranslation described in the present example.

Accordingly, a user can obtain an overview of a document from an outputimage containing translated terms of key words of a document. Specificsection(s) in a document may then be translated. Thus a translation of adocument according to a desired depth and detail may be obtained withina minimal amount of time.

C. Modifications

(1) CPU may start generating a complete translation of the documentimmediately after printing out a sheet of an output image containing thetranslated terms of key words in step A05. Accordingly, CPU maytranslate the document while the user is determining which section(s) inthe document is/are to be translated. Thus, waiting time for a completetranslation of a document may be reduced to a minimal amount of time,when no section(s) is/are specified.

(2) Section(s) which is/are to be translated may be specified on ascreen displayed at a display unit, such as an LCD display unit. CPUdisplays an output image containing the translated terms of key words inthe document. The user may specify the section of a document to betranslated by indicating the start and end points of the section with apointing device, such as a mouse. Accordingly, the section to betranslated may be specified in a shorter amount of time without havingto printout the sheet of the output image.

(3) The translated term(s) may be laid out in various forms in theoutput image containing the term(s) which is/are to be translated. Inone example, only translated terms of key words are laid out in theoutput image without including an image of the document. In anotherexample, an output image of the document which is to be translated islaid out on the top of a sheet, whereas translated terms of key wordscontained in the page are laid out collectively on the lower side of thesheet.

(4) The section(s) which is/are to be translated may be specified on asheet in various determinable forms. For example, the section(s) may beunderlined.

(5) Image input unit 12 may be a separate scanning device connected totranslation device 1 via a network. Image forming unit 6 may be aseparate printing device connected to translation device 1 via anetwork.

As described above, the present invention provides a translation deviceincluding: a dictionary that stores a set of words and theircorresponding meanings in plural languages; an input unit that inputs adocument; a recognizing unit that recognizes text in the inputteddocument; an analyzing unit that divides the text recognized by therecognizing unit into words; a translating unit that translates each ofthe words obtained by the analyzing unit into a translated term by usingthe dictionary; and an output unit that outputs an output imagecontaining the translated term for a key word.

The present invention provides a method including: assigning a unique IDto the document; storing, in a memory, a set of unique IDs assigned tothe document, words obtained from the document, and the translated termfor the words; recognizing a unique ID from the output image containingthe translated term for a key word; and reading from the memory a set ofwords and their translated terms corresponding to the unique IDrecognized, wherein the set of words and their translated terms are usedin the translating step.

The present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium forstoring a program of instructions executable by the computer to performa function, the function including: assigning a unique ID to thedocument; storing, in a memory, a set of unique IDs assigned to thedocument, words obtained from the document, and the translated term forthe words; recognizing a unique ID from the output image containing thetranslated term for a key word; and reading from the memory a set ofwords and their translated terms corresponding to the unique IDrecognized, wherein the set of words and their translated terms are usedin the translating step.

Accordingly, image data is generated from a document which is to betranslated; translated terms for key words; translation of a specifiedsection of the document is generated.

Thus, a translation of a document according to a desired depth anddetail may be obtained within a minimal amount of time.

The foregoing description of the embodiments and modifications of thepresent invention has been provided for the purpose of illustration anddescription. It is not intended for the above description to beexhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed.Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent topractitioners skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen anddescribed in order to best explain the principles of the invention andits practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the artto understand the invention for various embodiments and with the variousmodifications as are suited to a particular use contemplated. It isintended that the scope of the invention be defined by the followingclaims and their equivalents.

The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-82048filed on Mar. 22, 2005, including specification, claims, drawings, andabstract is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

1. A translation device, comprising: a dictionary that stores a set ofwords and their corresponding meanings in a plurality of languages; aninput unit that inputs a document; a recognizing unit that recognizestext in the inputted document; an analyzing unit that divides the textrecognized by the recognizing unit into words; a translating unit thattranslates each of the words obtained by the analyzing unit into atranslated term by using the dictionary; and an output unit that outputsan output image containing the translated term for a key word.
 2. Thetranslation device according to claim 1, further comprising: a sectiondetermining unit that determines a section of a text to be translated inthe output image outputted by the output unit, wherein the translatingunit translates the text of the section determined by the sectiondetermining unit, and the output unit outputs the translated textgenerated by the translating unit.
 3. The translation device accordingto claim 1, wherein the translating unit starts translating the wholepart of the document, when the output image containing the translatedterm is outputted.
 4. The translation device according to claim 1,wherein the output unit outputs the output image by placing the image ofthe translated term between text lines.
 5. The translation deviceaccording to claim 1, further comprising: an image forming unit thatforms an output image on a recording medium, wherein the sectiondetermining unit determines a section of a text to be translated, bydetecting a section being marked up in a prescribed manner on therecording medium.
 6. The translation device according to claim 1,further comprising: a display that displays the output image outputtedby the output unit, wherein the section determining unit determines asection of a text to be translated by recognizing a specified section onthe display.
 7. The translation device according to claim 1, furthercomprising: an ID assigning unit that assigns a unique ID to thedocument; a memory that stores a set of unique IDs assigned by the IDassigning unit, words obtained by the analyzing unit, and the translatedterm for the words; an ID recognizing unit that recognizes the unique IDassigned to the document; and a reading unit that reads a set of wordsand their translated terms corresponding to the unique ID recognized bythe ID recognizing unit from the memory, and provides them to thetranslating unit.
 8. A translation method, comprising: inputting adocument; recognizing texts in the inputted document; dividing the textrecognized into words; translating each of the words into a translatedterm by using a dictionary, the dictionary storing a set of words andtheir corresponding meanings in a plurality of languages; and outputtingan output image containing the translated term for a key word.
 9. Thetranslation method according to claim 8, further comprising: determininga section of a text to be translated in the output image containing thetranslated term for a key word; translating the text of the sectiondetermined; and outputting the translated text.
 10. The translationmethod according to claim 8, further comprising: starting a translationof the whole part of the document, after outputting the output imagecontaining the translated term.
 11. The method according to claim 8,wherein the translated term for a key word is placed between text linesin the output image.
 12. The translation method according to claim 8,further comprising: forming the output image on a recording medium; anddetecting a section of a text being marked up in a prescribed manner onthe recording medium, to determine the section as being translated. 13.The translation method according to claim 8, further comprising:displaying the output image on a display; and recognizing a sectionbeing specified on the display, to determine the section as beingtranslated.
 14. The translation method according to claim 8, furthercomprising: assigning a unique ID to the document; storing, in a memory,a set of unique IDs assigned to the document, words obtained from thedocument, and the translated term for the words; recognizing a unique IDfrom the output image containing the translated term for a key word; andreading from the memory a set of words and their translated termscorresponding to the unique ID recognized, wherein the set of words andtheir translated terms are used in the translating step.
 15. Acomputer-readable storage medium for storing a program of instructionsexecutable by the computer to perform a function, the functioncomprising: inputting a document; recognizing texts in the inputteddocument; dividing the text recognized into words; translating each ofthe words into a translated term by using a dictionary, the dictionarystoring a set of words and their corresponding meanings in a pluralityof languages; and outputting an output image containing the translatedterm for a key word.
 16. The computer-readable storage medium accordingto claim 15, further comprising: determining a section of a text to betranslated in the output image containing the translated term for a keyword; translating the text of the section determined; and outputting thetranslated text.
 17. The computer-readable storage medium according toclaim 15, further comprising: starting a translation of the whole partof the document, after outputting the output image containing thetranslated term.
 18. The computer-readable storage medium according toclaim 15, wherein the translated term for a key word is placed betweentext lines in the output image.
 19. The computer-readable storage mediumaccording to claim 15, further comprising: forming the output image on arecording medium; and detecting a section of a text being marked up in aprescribed manner on the recording medium, to determine the section asbeing translated.
 20. The computer-readable storage medium, according toclaim 15, further comprising: displaying the output image on a display;and recognizing a section being specified on the display, to determinethe section as being translated.
 21. The computer-readable storagemedium, according to claim 15, further comprising: assigning a unique IDto the document; storing, in a memory, a set of unique IDs assigned tothe document, words obtained from the document, and the translated termfor the words; recognizing a unique ID from the output image containingthe translated term for a key word; and reading from the memory a set ofwords and their translated terms corresponding to the unique IDrecognized, wherein the set of words and their translated terms are usedin the translating step.